Alliance for Building Better Medicine
Coalition Lead: Virginia Biotechnology Research Partnership Authority
Phase 2 Award: $52.9 million
Additional Public and Nonprofit Funding (Sept. 2022 – Sept. 2024): $73.3 million
Project Description:
The Alliance for Building Better Medicine, formerly known as Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (APM) Cluster, is leveraging a $52.9 million BBBRC grant to expand the domestic supply chain for essential medicines and critical active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The coalition is building on a nascent corridor between Richmond, VA, and Petersburg, VA, to expand wet lab space, catalyze new partnerships between research institutions in the region, create new pathways to high-quality jobs, and develop the regional supply chain through engagement with local firms.
The coalition unites regional partners such as the City of Petersburg, CIVICA Foundation, the Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University, and Brightpoint Community College.
As of September 2024, the coalition has made significant strides in achieving its vision of strengthening advanced pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing:
- Virginia Commonwealth University has launched a new Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree, which will begin its inaugural class in fall 2024. This effort will attract new talent and develop the workforce pipeline for the region to innovate and stay competitive in the long term.
- The coalition’s Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA) comprised of two local community colleges, Brightpoint and Reynolds community colleges, launched a short-term non-credit pharmaceutical manufacturing training program. CCWA has completed 6 cohorts, and 37 individuals have completed this program thus far.
- Brightpoint Community College launched a short-term for-credit pharmaceutical manufacturing career studies certificate training program. To date, Brightpoint has started 7 cohorts, and 22 individuals have graduated from that training program. At least 18 of these graduates have obtained jobs in the pharmaceutical manufacturing or other similar industries.
- The coalition has collaborated to drive progress for regional supply chain development for advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing by building partnerships with 110 prospective companies and showcasing the regional benefits towards selecting local sites for expansion.
Coalition Overarching Narrative (applicant submitted) (PDF)
“Support from the EDA is enabling local and regional economic development organizations to accelerate development in the region of the supply chain needed to produce new research, sales, service, and manufacturing facilities, and new jobs in the Richmond-Petersburg region.”
Alliance for Building Better Medicine
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